Nabulsi Soap is an all-natural, olive oil based soap made up of just four ingredients: 100% pure olive oil, water, salt and lye. That’s it. No additives, no preservatives, no harsh chemicals and no perfumes; only pure, natural ingredients straight from the earth. Ideal for those with sensitive skin, it is gentle enough to use on babies’ delicate derma. In fact, many people even wash their fruits and vegetables with it. How’s that for all-natural?

“The Nabulsi Soap is where Nubi Trading Co. started, it’s something I feel very passionate about. This is part of one of the oldest soap making traditions in the world that traces back about a thousand years,” Ariane expressed.

“It’s from Nablus, which is a ancient Palestinian city. The Nabulsi soap is still made the same way as it always has been; handmade, hand cut, and hand wrapped.”

Traditionally made by Palestinian women for household use, Nabulsi Soap is made up of 100% virgin olive oil, water, salt and lye. The mixture is then heated with water and olive oil in large copper vats over fermentation pits. The solution of water and the sodium compound becomes increasingly concentrated in a series of 40 cycles repeated over eight days. During that time, an oar-shaped wooden tool known as a dukshab is used to stir the liquid soap continuously. Once the ideal level of concentration is reached, the liquid soap is then spread in wooden frames to set and then cut into its classic cube shape and stamped with the company’s trademark seal; the ostrich. The soap cubes are then stacked into their distinctive cone-shaped structures until they are completely dry.

The final product is ivory in colour and is unscented except for naturally subtle hints of earth and olives. The result is a beautifully balanced, naturally moisturizing product that is ideal for all skin types.

“It’s a nice neutral product and it’s better as it ages because the soap loses some of its moisture and it’s more concentrated,” Ariane said.

Being that the holiday season has come to an end and the month of love is just days away, the Nabulsi Soap makes for a nice little addition to your Valentine’s Day gift.

“Holt Renfrew picked up Nabulsi for the holidays and listed it on the Toronto Life Gift Guide,” she added.

Well, there you have it – the one stop soap for all natural purposes: from head to toe, to fruit and veggies and from floor to ceiling. Treat yourself, your home and your loved ones for just $6 a bar. Visit Ariane at Trinitae (254 Niagara Street).